Serving Bowl with Miniature Figures, Arabic Blessings, and Persian Poetry
Seljuq dynasty (1037–1194), March 1191 (Safar, 587 AH)
Medium
Lusterware, fritware with luster-painted overglaze
Dimensions
14.8 × 38.5 cm (5 3/4 × 15 1/16 in.); Diam.: 38.5 cm (15 1/16 in.)
Classification
bowl
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
34351
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This fragmented bowl combines two different luster styles in a single object. The vessel is primarily decorated in the miniature technique, so-called for its similarities to miniature or manuscript painting. The horizontal bands of the design, the checkerboard trees, and the white background are all hallmarks of this type of decoration. However, some of the figures are painted in reserve, with their forms in white and the surrounding pattern filled in around them—a feature more typical of the mo...
About the Artist
Islamic
Islamic art, a profound visual tradition originating in the 7th century CE, flourished across vast territories from Spain to India under Muslim rule, encompassing architecture, ceramics, manuscripts, textiles, and metalwork produced by diverse artisans rather than a single named master. Drawing from pre-Islamic Sasanian, Byzantine, and late antique influences, its early development under the Umayy...